darkSpyro

"...okay, that sounds good," Sere said. "Thank you for letting me know. If we are confident enough in them, we may eventually have them become full-fledged members of the crew. Of course, such a thing will not be easy. Anyway, keep up the excellent work. And please, do feel free to talk with some of the other crew members a bit more. Let them get to know who's in charge of them, if you know what I mean. Is there anything you need to know from me?"

With Shade's unconditional support and warmth, Angora soon found herself dozing off, with her head against his belly as if it was a giant pillow. Dahlia was at a considerable distance away, being quite afraid of the dragolet. She has seen him many times already, but couldn't stand his overwhelming presence yet. As she made herself comfortable using Shade's tail as a blanket, she started to wonder if it was a good idea telling Sere about the telepathy, but even more so if this mysterious individual was going to contact her again. It made her feel uneasy and humiliated with the words. Just who was this individual? Why the sudden interest in her, and in fixing her?

Strange and scary things usually happened around Angora, and this was no exception. Whoever this individual was, it managed to avoid detection from both Sere and Raclaw, which was the reason why she believed there was a connection with Latnok's disappearance. And if that was the case, it meant that the very individual that possibly kidnapped the young Guardian was also after her. It was a terrifying thought, but one that also kept her curious. She didn't like the idea of seeing Latnok again, but perhaps if she found him, not only will it give Raclaw some peace of mind, but perhaps finally Sere would start to acknowledge her even if it was just a little. Despite wanting to give up on trying to obtain his approval, deep inside, she still desired it.

Back in the underground, Latnok was sitting on a conveniently provided log taking a break, after some more combat. His mind, just as much as his body, needed rest; many of the beliefs he had held so dear had been drawn out and challenged. What did his companions really mean to him? Was he content with beign valued only as a tool? What else were they hiding from him?
Cernentium came before him, with news to present. "I believe it would interest you to know that your allies were victorious in battle with the White Shadow," he said. "They did not lose anyone."
Latnok had completely forgotten about the battle; he felt a sense of guilt for not having been there, but, at the same time, he was relieved as to the outcome. "Well... my return at this point certainly wouldn't look good," he said. "Remind me how this was supposed to work out?"
"Don't worry," Cernentium said. "We've accounted for such a thing. When you leave here... we will wipe your memories. Many of them, anyway. You will remember some of the details; some of the most important memories, however, will remain dormant, with you recalling them when the time is right."
The idea of his memories being manipulated made Latnok feel uneasy; was the encounter something he should remember? On the other hand, Cernentium had brought up many good points so far; there was much Latnok had to think about, and perhaps having the freedom to resolve the situation after settling his own thoughts was for the best.
"I understand," Latnok said. "What happens from here?"

As Angora dozed off, exhausted about today's battle, Maverick continued helping Ilasi with Raclaw. His feelings weren't as strong as before since that fateful night, but they were still there. Thankfully, he didn't blush and stammer like before. He wanted to start a simple friendship with her, not wanting to be too forward and just let things run their course instead of forcing them, although he believed Leoquin had the better chance considering Ilasi liked him and the fact that they were the same species. Still, a friendship was enough for him. Maverick wanted to say something, but desisted, and decided to just make simple conversation.
"I really should consider introducing Dahlia to Shade. She's so afraid of him yet. Not that I blame her though. Big herbivores like her are dragon's usual prey. Oscurito has never hunted dirt buffaloes before, but he has eaten similar animals." he said after noticing Dahlia quite far from Angora and Shade, understanding his precious mount's concern. It was all instinct. It still surprised him how intelligent she was despite having those basic instincts.

Quote: A Guy

"...okay, that sounds good," Sere said. "Thank you for letting me know. If we are confident enough in them, we may eventually have them become full-fledged members of the crew. Of course, such a thing will not be easy. Anyway, keep up the excellent work. And please, do feel free to talk with some of the other crew members a bit more. Let them get to know who's in charge of them, if you know what I mean. Is there anything you need to know from me?"

Risar briefly thought about the Godfather's question, letting it sink in. He had always been taught not to question his captains and had usually not asked too many questions concerning those he had previously served under-- only what he needed to know and what he needed to do. Besides from the very first captain and the one who had freed him, most considered him to be just a brute; something/someone to be used when the his mighty greataxes or pure strength could be of use. He wasn't used to captains or crew members actually caring about him or about what he thought. The Guardians and his fellow crew members were different though-- between the kind-at-times Latnok, Sere himself, and certain others such as Raclaw. He and the fur dragon could relate (having both been owned) and he found the growing (degrading?) bond between him and Latnok to be an interesting parallel to what he had experienced in his own life. Of course, the circumstances were different-- still he felt for the two and only wished the best for their interesting relationship. Latnok, himself, reminded him somewhat of his old master and he felt as if he might be a man worth further knowing. Others like Leoquin were equally interesting and he was even starting to warm to the hybrid Maverick. As for Caption or Godfather Sere-- he had been the first caption to recognize that he was more than a mere brute or just some formerly owned beast man."Risar... Risar has just one question. Who were you before you became what you are now? Before the Guardians, before the Godfather?," he finally asked posing the question upon Sere.

ELSEWHERE...Quote: Felines

As Angora dozed off, exhausted about today's battle, Maverick continued helping Ilasi with Raclaw. His feelings weren't as strong as before since that fateful night, but they were still there. Thankfully, he didn't blush and stammer like before. He wanted to start a simple friendship with her, not wanting to be too forward and just let things run their course instead of forcing them, although he believed Leoquin had the better chance considering Ilasi liked him and the fact that they were the same species. Still, a friendship was enough for him. Maverick wanted to say something, but desisted, and decided to just make simple conversation.
"I really should consider introducing Dahlia to Shade. She's so afraid of him yet. Not that I blame her though. Big herbivores like her are dragon's usual prey. Oscurito has never hunted dirt buffaloes before, but he has eaten similar animals." he said after noticing Dahlia quite far from Angora and Shade, understanding his precious mount's concern. It was all instinct. It still surprised him how intelligent she was despite having those basic instincts.

"You-- you really should.," Raclaw started to say; his throat still somewhat sore from the electrically produced burns his own collar had provided him on his command. The TEACH command hadn't been designed to be used continuously over a long period of time and he was now paying the price for that. "She's a smart animal and you're lucky to have her. She's-- she's grown to become tolerant of me, so perhaps there is hope yet. I may be small and rather fluffy, but I am still a dragon and that is a start.," he then said looking at Maverick. "You don't say-- you're certainly the fluffiest dragon I've ever seen.," Chester barked with a friendly tone briefly rubbing against him. "And you are the most adorable little pup I've ever seen.," Raclaw responded in kind poking fun at the small dog's size. The two gave each other a dragon/dog-like smile and their mood seemed to improve somewhat. The larger fur dragon briefly reacted as Illasi touched a particularly sour spot just around the collar. The burns seemed to go under the collar itself, although it would be hard to get to them without adjusting or removing it. Still-- despite the burns, the presant company seemed to improve Raclaw's mood verses that of before.

Maverick was surprised and rather glad to hear Raclaw in the mood for talking. He really was interesting company, and regretted not spending more time with him.
"Well, that's just it. You don't look like a dragon. What's more, you can communicate with her. I guess that's what helped her being comfortable around you. Oscurito on the other hand, well, he's more or less how I visualized dragons. Huge and scaly firebreathing flyers. He's even bigger than Veris, which I didn't even noticed in the beginning. To be frank, I can understand Dahlia. I used to be terrified of him too. Heh, Angorita didn't help either when we started traveling together. She use to do things like placing herself around his claws and putting her head on his mouth just to scare me. She can be quite the prankster." Maverick said with a small chuckle, now wondering if Angora did mean to prank him or if she was simply demonstrating how friendly Shade was. His small smile soon turned into a sad frown, recalling those times and missing so much when it was just the three of them exploring the world and being a happy family.

It had been a long time since anyone had asked Sere about his own history. To many, he was just a man who they listened to, and nothing more beyond that. "Before all of this... I was a nobleman. Doing studies in magic and various other subjects. I grew bored and dissatisfied, however. As soon as I was old enough to decide my own course in life, I left to find something more meaningful. The Ardent Guardians appealed to me, to my desire to do something meaningful.
"Of course, my world view has changed over the course of my stay there. I was initially naive; I had learned much in my time there, however, enough to shape me to be who I am today. I learned that the world isn't just a place where there is good and bad, and good always wins out in the end. The lines are often blurred, and there are no choices you can make that will have everyone satisfied. So what do I do? Well, that's something I must use appropriate judgment to decide; something which, despite my experience, I am not perfect in, and still learn lessons in from time to time.
"As for my family... certain events led to the dissolution of my noble house while I was away. Events that I still do not have all of the details on. A noble house isn't my concern anymore, however. There's much more to this world than just how you were born. Some see me as a traitor for my decision to just walk away from that lifestyle; admittedly, my decision was fueled by inexperience, but, in the end, I think it is all for the better. Probably not as interesting a life story as you were looking to hear - but that is what it is." Though Sere could probably go into more detail, he decided that a more abridged version of his history would be fitting for Risar, doubting that the minotaur would care much for such an ironically mundane lifestyle.

Ilasi looked at Dahlia, then at Shade, then back at Dahlia, all the while continuing to look over Raclaw. Eventually, she would inspect the area under his collar to check for signs of injuries - and found more burns. She gently applied more medicine to the affected areas, as she spoke.
"Honestly, some of the crew has been avoiding him, too," Ilasi said. "They heard about what he's done - quite a few experienced the death and destruction first-hand. Dahlia isn't the only one who's going to have to get used to Shade. I really do hope that he can shake the events at Redwater; I doubt, however, that such events aren't going to follow him around for the rest of his life."

When Ilasi spoke, it was her turn to get a reply. Maverick didn't blame her at all for thinking similarly to the crew, but was glad that at least wasn't mean to Shade, and expressed her opinions in a gentle way. He gave Chester a few belly rubs before beginning to talk.
"Honestly, I still can't understand what happened in Redwater. After we... left Orcford, we were kidnapped by this crazy, murderous blue dragon, who forced us to be separated." Maverick said, saying Orford in a very low voice after the bad memory of Ilasi thinking he abandoned her there. Wanting to forget the moment, he continued talking.

"Angora and Shade were escorted somewhere. I never knew what happened afterwards. I arrived to this small village and this stranger, probably a fortune teller, tells me about them being imprisoned. I arrived to Redwater as fast as I could, only to find out Shade destroyed part of the city, and that he and Angorita were detained and forced to fight in that awful arena! Those were such crazy, terrifying days! Angora said that Shade was possibly manipulated by a wizard into attacking the city, but that it could also be Shade's powers growing too fast. I honestly don't' know what happened, or even what to believe, but I do admit Oscurito needs help. I can't understand what went wrong. He always had a few nightmares and a few power sparks, but he never went out of control like that. I... I should've been there for them... I... should've arrived faster..." Maverick concluded melancholically, pulling some of his arm hair in frustration. He wondered if he could've stopped Shade from causing such massive destruction if he had been there with him and Angora.

It became apparent to Ilasi just how much the events of Redwater had distressed Maverick, even without him being there for them. She wondered if there was anything she could say to make the situation better.
"Well... what's done is done. All we can really do from here is move on as best we can," she said calmly, taking the liberty of gently stroking his arm.. "You couldn't have forseen such a thing happening. What's important is that you're there for him now." The fate that remained for Shade upon his return still lingered in Ilasi's mind; she wondered just what his companions would do once the situation came to that.

Ilasi's warmth was enough for Maverick to feel a little better. Despite the guilt from the events still standing strong, there was always a silver lining in every life trial.
"Well, not all was a complete loss. On my way to Redwater, that's when I met Dahlia. Poor gal was very injured, but I needed a ride to the city so I had no choice, and that's when I tamed her... or rather, she let me tame her. I tried many times to release her back into the wild, but you can see the results of that." Maverick explained, smiling again as he helped Ilasi with the antibiotics. Raclaw had a few severe burns, but at least they were curable, and they won't be noticeable once those patches of fur grew again.

As Sere explained his abridged life story-- Risar carefully listened and seemed satisfied enough by the answer. "Ah-- you were an aristocrat, grew bored of that lifestyle, and seeked a more meaningful existence elsewhere. There is no shame in that and we were all once something at one time or another. Risar may not have been an aristocrat or some beastly nobleman, but... I was owned by one.," the minotaur started to respond with a nod briefly switching from third person to first person. The beast man's grip on the 'I' pronoun did appear to partly preference, as if some factor (difficulty, physiological, etc) determined when he did or did not use the proper pronoun. "Risar was one of three brothers; both of lesser quality. Whereas my fellow brethren would've been sold as mere laborers or even exotic meat-- Risar stood out above the rest and thus was sold to a higher buyer. Master taught Risar well and my purpose in life was clear. I was taught how to fight, how to speak, how to taste, and... and certain other hobbies that intrigued Master. It was a comfortable existence and one that didn't treat Risar poorly. However, it was an owned existence and that would've never changed so longer as I stayed. Risar would never be his own person, would never own his life, and would never be an 'I'-- an unique individual. I was once an slave but am no longer. Raclaw was once a pet, but is no longer. You were once an nobleman, but are no longer. We all change, we all adapt, we all make our own choices. As for what happened afterwards; what's done is done. Your house, your clan may no longer be there-- but you still are. You are in charge of your own life now; not some higher being or predetermined fate.," he then said explaining some of his view on life to the Guardian head. The large minotaur seemed to have associated the singular pronoun with individuality and perhaps fell back onto the third person more than habit than anything.

Elsewhere on deck, Raclaw let Ilasi do her thing-- feeling the relief as the mermaid applied the medicine to both around the collar and under the collar. The sore throat would no doubt linger for a few days, but at least the burns wouldn't leave anything too permanent. His fur would grow back in due time and once that happened, he would be his good 'ol fluffy self again. As Ilasi tended to him, more serious burns would be evident towards the tail end and around the artifact itself. The artifact had reverted back to initial band form and would form a tight seal around his tail, hiding any burns directly beneath it. The surrounding burns, however, would suggest that they continued underneath it. "You-- you are right in that Dahlia has allowed you to tame her. As I said, she is an intelligent animal and could've left anytime she wanted to. She chose to stay however and on multiple occasions no else. She loves you and she feels a certain obligation to protect you; that is not something to toss away or to disregard. When an animal or individual forms such a bond-- that is a substantial thing. Treasure it and don't let anything get between you.," the fur dragon said perhaps not merely referring to Dahlia. Chester looked at Raclaw and knew to whom he was thinking of, although he didn't say anything so as to not upset his otherwise talkative friend.

Maverick didn't think immediately that Raclaw may be talking about someone else, so he believed the fur dragon was mostly referring to Dahlia.
"Well animals may not talk, but many are much smarter than we think. You know, back on that other island, it was Dahlia who insisted I go to you and Latnok. She wanted me to help her save you from that underground bear thing..." Maverick began to say, immediately leaving the subject behind when he realized whom he just mentioned.
"She is... very smart. And she really likes Ilasi too." Maverick then said awkwardly, wanting to avoid talking about Latnok, knowing how much it still hurt him. He then focused on looking at the dirt buffalo, who was still on the same spot, scratching her hump with her horn. She was still quite far away from Shade, but wanted to keep an eye on Angora, so she remained there.

As for Angora, after a while of dozing off, her body couldn't take it anymore and she fell asleep. She didn't want to fearing she would have nightmares or weird dreams about today's events, but she needed the rest. She was hoping to get a message from the mysterious stranger while she was awake, but none ever came. She believed she made a mistake in telling Sere about it. She should've tried to do this one on her own, but then again, she was afraid that if she did, she was never going to come back. It still fazed her how somebody called her inferior and someone that needed fixing. Despite her low self esteem, she had come to accept herself, or at least her body, to be this way. Who was this mysterious individual that could avoid detection even from someone as powerful as Godfather Sere himself?

"I've actually never had any pets myself," Ilasi said. "I knew a mermaid who was a beast master. I was considering staying, learning what I could from her... but decided to take a different opportunity instead." Ilasi remained ambiguous in her explanation, not wanting to reveal too many details of the encounter. "Most of the connections I have formed were employer and employee, or master and apprentice. I never had much more than that..." Ilasi looked away as she finished speaking, though her hands continued to do their work.

Sere, though he wasn't expecting quite eloquent speech from Risar, wasn't surprised at this point, having no doubt about the minotaur's intelligence. "In the end, I'm glad I took the path I did," he said. "I would like to think that I'm working towards making the world a better place now. There are mistakes and setbacks... but I cannot let those discourage me. Thank you for this time - and thank you for showing your value many times over. If you need anything else of me, then I will be around." With that out of the way, Sere's thoughts turned back towards Latnok. Was there a lead that they missed, perhaps? He had to be found - no, he didn't have to be found. Sere would highly prefer it if Latnok was found - but there was only so much that could be done before one started going on a wild goose chase.

"Anytime. And if you ever have questions for me-- Just ask.," Risar said with a nod.

Raclaw didn't immediately say anything-- thinking of Latnok. Chester placed an paw over one of Raclaw's, silently supporting the fur dragon.

Quote: A Guy

"I've actually never had any pets myself," Ilasi said. "I knew a mermaid who was a beast master. I was considering staying, learning what I could from her... but decided to take a different opportunity instead." Ilasi remained ambiguous in her explanation, not wanting to reveal too many details of the encounter. "Most of the connections I have formed were employer and employee, or master and apprentice. I never had much more than that..." Ilasi looked away as she finished speaking, though her hands continued to do their work.

Maverick was curious to learn more, but didn't insisted on the matter and let Ilasi explain her life on her own rate, not wanting her to feel like he was pressuring her.
"Well, I don't know much about beast masters or tamers, but I can get along quite well with many animals. Part of my fawn heritage I suppose. They were known to be very at peace with nature asides of being great alchemists. I rather use the old fashion way around animals and let them do the rest. I don't force them to do stuff or anything. Dahlia is with me because she wants to." Maverick specified, aware of what a beast master did, although he didn't mean to criticize anybody. He had researched about fawns in his spare time, and they were a fascinating society, and it made him proud to have their genetic, although he wished he could see a pure one, even though they are believed to be extinct.

As some time passed-- Illasi had successfully worked her magic and healed most of Raclaw's wounds. He would need some rest and the fur itself would grow back in its own time, but the burns were all but soothed and the pain was mostly gone. "Thank-you.," Raclaw said to the mermaid as she and Mav briefly stayed to keep him company. Chester was to pleased to see his friend mostly healed, albeit missing some fur here and there. It didn't matter-- he was still the fluffiest fur dragon he had ever come to love. The little Beagle cuddled with Raclaw and had continued to provide him with a great deal of comfort in Latnok's absence. 'Latnok-- I hope you can see just much I care for you. Please don't close off your heart and ignore what is right in front of you. And please see reason when I return to you.,' Raclaw thought looking out onto the sea. They were about halfway back to the marsh island and where his beloved Guardian had ran off and possibly gotten himself captured by an unknown entity.

Elsewhere, Risar watched the fur dragon from across the deck-- thinking of the past. For the fur dragon's sake, he hoped the two could reconcile. Even though Risar had chosen to leave his old master... a small part of him still fondly cared for the man and had missed him. He wouldn't let it hold him back, but he wouldn't forget ether. He couldn't forget-- it part of who he was. It was his past and somewhere he still had two brothers out there. The large minotaur briefly placed his left hand over his right shoulder, as if being reminded or remembering something. Perhaps his nose ring wasn't the only permanent reminder of his past. Very few people had seen him without his armor and no-one currently aboard the Guardian ship. Many of the crew members were relaxing, while a small subset was keeping course. Even the prisoners had been given a break, having been a great help in keeping the lower decks from being flooded. 'Master-- I shall never forget everything you taught me. I have no regrets though; I am living my own life now.,' he thought to himself. The bonds and relationships that formed between the owned and the owners was an interesting and complex thing.

Sere stayed vigilant, keeping on the lookout for land. The ship would be back at the port before long; he would fly Veris to get a better look, but wanted his wyvern to get as much rest as possible after the battle.
Ilasi, meanwhile, was taking a break, glad that Raclaw was feeling somewhat better. Though he wasn't in perfect shape, he would heal in time. Where did Latnok go to? His presence would no doubt help the fur drahon, and possibly assuage many of the fears of the crew as to his fate.
Unlike most of the others, Ilasi never really had any sort of traveling companion - Leoquin was pretty similar in that regard. Leoquin, in fact, was coming to speak with her right then.
"Hey, Ilasi. How are you feeling after all of that?" he asked her.
"Now that things have had a chance to settle down... I was scared. Honestly. But I tried to focus on my job. Honestly, I thought it was a foolish plan - but the captain knows what he's doing in the end, I guess. I'm glad we didn't lose anyone."
"I... guess so," Leoquin said ambivalently. With Angora's now completely docile nature, Leoquin's feelings toward her were beginning to very slowly turn from dislike to apathy. He still didn't want to bother interacting with her - but he could now tolerate her presence on the ship.
"Still, I wonder what happened to Latnok. No trace of him? Someone like him? Don't these guys know their stuff about monsters? What could take him away like that without him even fighting?"
Ilasi had no immediate answer for Leoquin. She was wondering the same.

As the ship neared the port, Angora finally woke up after a dreamless slumber, not receiving any sort of message from the being telepathing to her.
"I think I messed things up Shady. I told Sere about that voice, and I think that's why it doesn't want to contact me anymore." she said with a downed mood, not noticing the island upfront.

Maverick was watching from one side of the ship, somewhat glad that they were returning to the island to find Latnok. He still couldn't fathom the fact that Sere was considering leaving what was possibly his most valuable ally behind. He only hoped Angora was on to something so that not only would Latnok be found again, but also so that the old Guardian would see how noble Angora really was. Even though he missed most of the battle, he knew from Ilasi that she was a great contributor to the beast's defeat, and Maverick saw himself Angora leaving with a Shade towards the sea god, so he had no doubt it was the truth. Yet Sere still refused to acknowledge her, something that really frustrated Maverick.

Ilasi talked with Leoquin a bit longer, before they went their separate ways. After a bit of roving, Ilasi would run into Maverick again, deciding to speak to him to, at the very least, entertain herself.
"It's been a long day," she said to him. "What are you thinking about right now? I myself am wondering what the islanders will take of the whole situation with the White Shadow. I think we did a good thing today."

Maverick was a little startled by her sudden appearance, but he shook it off quickly and proceeded to answer her.
"Not thinking that much really. I'm just... worried about señor Latnok. He was a little hard to us, but señor Raclaw is really fond of him, so maybe he's not as bad as he lets out. I'm just hoping we can find him." Maverick expressed, showing his desire to have Latnok safe and sound, not only for Raclaw's sake. He knew Sere wouldn't miss an opportunity to find him, even if it meant depending on Angora.

Elsewhere on the deck-- Raclaw and Chester cuddled, the little Beagle laying in-between the fur dragon's front paws. He looked up at his furry friend and had an funny look in his eyes. "Raclaw-- may I see my ball, please?," he gently barked looking up at Raclaw. "Sure thing Chester. Just.. just step back first.," the larger companion responded before internally triggering the command for his (their?) stash and allowing the little dog to pull the ball out. It was a technically dangerous move for the little pupper, but he knew enough for the portal to pull it off. Raclaw, whose fur was still missing in several places, then proceeded to close the portal before a small ringing object rolled against him. The ball. "I don't think now's the time.," he gently said rolling the ball back to Chester-- only for it to roll back to him. "Come on Raclaw-- we haven't played in days.," Chester pleaded wanted to motivate and keep his friend active. Raclaw gave a sigh but knew that there would be no winning that argument. And thus-- the two proceeded to roll the ball back and forth, like some shrunk down form of their previous game. Risar looked across at the duo and gave a slight smile, pleased to see Raclaw in a slightly better mood.

Angora glanced at the fluffy duo as well, glad that the fur dragon was better but feeling slightly envious of him and his canine friend. She did this with Shade and even Maverick back when they were traveling together, but now they were surroounded by many people who hated them. Raclaw and Chester were loved and respected, and didn't have to be worried or paranoid about somebody insulting or giving them the cold shoulder. Feeling s bit of melancholy, she looked at Shade.
"Do you want to play something?" she asked, seeing the duo putting her in the mood. She couldn't look at the land from that spot, so she didn't know how close they were of that awful island...

Ilasi had her doubts about Latnok's return - though she believed that this might not be the best time to express them. "You know, he was very patient and treated me well when he was training me in magic. I think he really just wants to see us as strong as possible," she said. "He's an experienced warrior," she added, with a slight hint of uncertainty. "He should be fine... there wasn't a fight, and he would've given any foe a fight, surely..."

As the land began to come into sight more clearly, Sere began to prepare the crew. "Terra firmq up ahead," he called. "Prepare for landfall."

As soon as Godfather Sere announced the impending landfall-- Raclaw motioned for the game to stop and briefly triggered the stash again for Chester to put the ball up again. It was time; Latnok would be here somewhere and they had to find him before they finished repairs with the ship. Seeing land up ahead and Raclaw/Chester ceasing their games, Risar began to prepare the crew. Crew members began preparing the ship and any prisoners were secured. Risar nodded-- they had a good crew and a crew that might even grow depending on what ultimately happened with the prisoners. He thought about Latnok and hoped (for both Sere and Raclaw's sake) that they would be able to find the beloved Guardian in time. For Raclaw, he only hoped that the Guardian would be able to forgive him-- and Damon. It wouldn't be too long until they hit land now.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

“Sure! What do you have in mind?”

Angora was about to reply, but got disappointed when she heard Sere calling the land.
"We'll have to wait for another time." She said with lowered ears, climbing to his head to get a better view. She was sort of starting to wish she hadn't said anything about the mysterious voice.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi had her doubts about Latnok's return - though she believed that this might not be the best time to express them. "You know, he was very patient and treated me well when he was training me in magic. I think he really just wants to see us as strong as possible," she said. "He's an experienced warrior," she added, with a slight hint of uncertainty. "He should be fine... there wasn't a fight, and he would've given any foe a fight, surely..."

"He's strong and stubborn that's for sure. I know he's fine." Maverick assured, before addressing to Ilasi's other sentence.
"I'm glad he treated you well. I wish he could've had the same patience with Angorita. They were both already in hot water with each other when I found them, so I really don't know what really happened between them. If it was only because she was rude to him isn't really a good excuse. Angorita may be big mouthed, or at least she was before, but she never means any harm, and she is trying to change for the better. I don't know what happened yesterday, but I think it made señor Latnok realize many things. Señor Raclaw can explain better." he expressed, not really knowing the full details of that event, but it clearly did a heavy number on Angora, Raclaw and Latnok.

"Raclaw? Do you think we'll find Latnok?," Chester asked via their secret language as he looked out onto the island. "I hope so-- I believe so. Latnok is fighter and he wouldn't let anything happen to him. One way or another, we will find him or he'll find us. And once that happens, we'll be together again. And we will resolve this.," Raclaw replied in kind this time being the one to comfort. Risar shouted orders to the crew as the ship closer and looked ahead-- both to the island and to the future.

After awhile, the ship eventually drew within docking distance of the island - once again, dusk was settling.
Sere walked over to Risar, with orders to issue. "Have a skeleton crew start working on some of the repairs tonight," he said. "We'll have the repairs go at a steady pace. When it's all done, we'll give the men some time for rest and relaxation."

"Yes captain.," Risar said with a huff and nod-- the usual minotaur response. The sailors, meanwhile, continued their previous orders and prepared the ship for docking. If Latnok wanted to be found, the beloved Guardian would at least have a few days to do so. He understood the Godfather's perspective-- finding Latnok was something that many key members of the crew desired, himself included. However, it also wasn't the primary objective and eventually the ship would have to move on without him. They would at least give the former second-in-command a chance though and they wouldn't immediately give up on him. He could relate-- he had two brothers somewhere out there and while he wasn't counting on eventually finding them, he wouldn't reject the possibility ether. From what he figured, at least one was probably alive. And as for the other-- a Minotaur with a copper ring unfortunately wasn't worth much to anyone. Still-- a small part of him hoped that he would one day find both his brethren.

Maverick looked at the distance as Angora looked from Shade's head. This was it. The residents will know that the White Shadow will trouble them no longer, but that also meant they arrived at the place where Latnok disappeared, taken by some strange individual who may or may not be the same one who had tried to contact them later. The future was uncertain, but both Maverick and Angora felt ready for anything...

Off in the distance, hidden behind a rock, the mastermind waited ot the subject of its interest - the ship, or more specifically, at least one member of it. Extending its senses, it managed to do a cursory probe of many of the thoughts on the ship - until it was able to identify a pattern which informed it as to the nature of the person having the thought. "ANGORA... IS THIS REALLY WHAT YOU WANT?" it telepathed to her. "DO YOU REALLY WANT TO FIND THE HUMAN? WHY? HE HAS BROUGHT YOU NOTHING BUT MISERY. WE WILL HAVE A WORLD WHERE YOU AND YOUR TWO COMPANIONS MAY EXIST WITH NO CONFLICT. YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO BE A FUGITIVE, OR BE IMPRISONED, OR BE FORCED TO KILL, OR BE FORCED TO SERVE THOSE YOU DETEST. THE OPPORTUNITY WILL COME. BE READY." Just as sudden as it made its presence known, it disappeared from Angora's thoughts, going into hiding once more.

As the unknown creature telecommunicated with Angora-- Raclaw's senses soon picked up on a particular presence once again. "And right when we get back. You.. are you responsible for what happened to Latnok?," he telepathically probed the unknown enity although it doubted that it would even hear him.

As the stranger finished up the message, Angora twitched in frustration, getting sick of this pattern. Shaking it off quickly so that Shade wouldn't suspect anything, she proceeded to slide off his neck.
"Excuse me Shady. I'll have... a quick drink of water from Ilasi's station. I've heard the water she purifies is out of this world." she invented, unable to come uo with a better lie. She went near the station, but after making sure he and everyone else on the ship were distracted with the presence of the island. angora went to the other side of the ship, hiding behind one of the confiscated barrels.

The hexphage cure was still lasting, so she could use most of her magic. Telepathy was very hard when you weren't targeting someone, so she instead focused on the voice and the direction she believed it came from.
"Alright! Enough of this! And stop ignoring me! Just tell me who you are and what do you want? And if you really MUST know, I don't care much about that human, but he's somebody's friend, and I know how horrible it is to lose someone like that! And yeah, he caused me much misery, but I'm no monster, and I'm not going to let his master, the one who's suppose to protect and care for him, leave him behind like some corpse on a pile of dirt!" Angora said telepathy, trying to aim the message towards the direction of the source. What this powerful stranger was offering her was tempting... too tempting in fact, but she was done with temptations. She almost sold the world to Shade once when he was evil, but she wasn't going to fall again. Plus what this individual was offering her sounded too good to be true, and she couldn't shake the feeling that there would be a terrible price to pay for the life he was offering.

As Raclaw attempted to contact the creature, he would be met with the telepathic equivalent of radio static - a deliberate disruption of his attempts to reach out to the creature. The creature did, however, did respond to Angora.
"THE OTHERS... THEY WILL LEAVE YOU IN THE DIRT AS WELL. AS SOON AS IT SUITS THEM. REMEMBER. WE WILL MAKE YOU FREE. WOULD YOU LIKE THE POWER TO EXACT THE COMEUPPANCE YOU WISH ON THE OLD HUMAN, OR HIS SUBORDINATE? OR WOULD YOU PREFER TO ACCEPT THEIR TREATMENT? REMEMBER..." The voice cut off once again, this time not to return for now.

Angora wished she knew how to respond to that, but no word came. This stranger was even better than her at words. Despite not knowing that he already left, she decided not to respond to him anyway. What frustrated the most was the fact that whoever this individual was, it was clearly addressing to her only. He wasn't targeting anyone else on the ship, otherwise they would've told Sere by now. Why the interest in her? Why was he targeting her? Was he sympathizing with her inner plea for help? Or was it something else? This entity didn't even answered her previous question, so she believed that the only way she would find out what this creature wanted with her was to find him.

Angora finally came out of her hiding place and headed to where Maverick was. He was with Ilasi, and even though she was somewhat glad the mermaid was interacting with her more instead of Leoquin, she was too frustrated to express her happiness.
"Ugly island or not, I'm tired of being on this ship. I may help with the repairs later, but for now, I need some time to stretch my legs. Don't worry. I won't venture too far." Angora said to Maverick as she prepared to head to the gangplank once it was lowered. Maverick wasn't keen to the idea of Angora hanging out on the island where Latnok was most likely kidnapped, even less knowing that someone powerful enough to avoid the Godfather's detection was targeting her, but he trusted her word in that she would remain nearby.

Raclaw shook his head in frustration as the creature effectively blocked his attempts. 'What's wrong?," Chester asked as he observed the fur dragon react to something. "The presence-- it's back and it's.. it's blocking me.," Raclaw responded having rarely encountered any form of blockage up to this point. It was a strange feeling and one that didn't settle comfortably in his mind. He tried again this time using more of his energy and causing a visual change in his eyes-- only to find that the presence was no longer there.

Not being a part of the skeleton crew, Ilasi had quite a bit of time to spend before she would go to bed. She needed something to do. Thinking back on recreation, she remembered the experiment she had with Maverick in the air bubble, allowing him to explore the deeper sea. Maverick seemed to get cold after awhile - he claimed that it wasn't actually the cold that caused him to appear that way, but Ilasi wasn't sure if he was just being polite. Nevertheless, perhaps it would be worth another try later...
"Hey, Maverick..." Ilasi asked coyly. "What would you think of, perhaps, going underwater again...? Maybe we'd even find Latnok..." Ilasi was immediately hit with an incredible sense of awkwardness, realizing that her phrasing implied a rather unfortunate fate for the young Guardian; she was too flustered to immediately correct it, however.

Leoquin, unlike Ilasi, was going to be a part of the skeleton crew, being one of the navigators that would be on board should the ship need to be moved while the others were off duty. Wandering the ship, he soon found Raclaw with his dog companion; he would take the time to satisfy some of his curiosity.
"Hey, Raclaw," he greeted. "Say, how did you get the dog? Did someone give him to you? You know, I've always wanted a pet for myself, but being amphibious, I couldn't really find anything that would really work, except a frog maybe... boring!" Leoquin absentmindedly extended a hand out to pet Chester, though he stopped right before doing so, unsure if the dog would tolerate such a thing.

Maverick noticed Ilasi's embarrassment, but didn't acted upon it and simply proceeded to answer her with a smile.
"Swim? Oh, you mean like back then with the bubble? Yeah, that was quite fun, but to find Latnok? I'm not sure he could be underwater, but it's worth a shot." Maverick replied, affirming her offer. Ilasi wanted so badly to do things right that it made the fawn man determined to make her happy and help her as much as a non magical being like him could.

Quote: redwes

Raclaw shook his head in frustration as the creature effectively blocked his attempts. 'What's wrong?," Chester asked as he observed the fur dragon react to something. "The presence-- it's back and it's.. it's blocking me.," Raclaw responded having rarely encountered any form of blockage up to this point. It was a strange feeling and one that didn't settle comfortably in his mind. He tried again this time using more of his energy and causing a visual change in his eyes-- only to find that the presence was no longer there.

As Angora waited for the gangplank to be lowered, she watched the fluffy duo again, knowing that it had been Chester who tracked Latnok and his unexpected visitor. She wanted to borrow the dog to see if he could track the scent again, but she knew that would only cause suspiscions...

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"Hey, Raclaw," he greeted. "Say, how did you get the dog? Did someone give him to you? You know, I've always wanted a pet for myself, but being amphibious, I couldn't really find anything that would really work, except a frog maybe... boring!" Leoquin absentmindedly extended a hand out to pet Chester, though he stopped right before doing so, unsure if the dog would tolerate such a thing.

As Leoquin approached him-- Raclaw quickly ceased his failed attempts at probing the unknown telepathic enity. Seeing his reluctance, Chester himself pushed his head into the merman's hand and welcomed the petting. "Oh-- hey Leoquin. Chester.. you could say that I found him or rather he found me.," Raclaw started to explain how he and Latnok had found themselves in Redwater. "...And that was when he spoke to me. He asked me to help hide him.," He went on to explain how Chester's former owner had wanted to eat him, how he telepathically hid his presence, how they took him with them, and they officially adopted him to get him out of the city. "And he's been with me ever since.," he concluded looking down at the little Beagle with a smile.

Maverick's acceptance gave Ilasi a smile - much of it a result of relief, having feared that the experiment would cause Maverick to want to avoid any further interaction with her magic. "Well, we can at least get a better idea of the wildlife around here, surely," she said. "We might even find some treasure like Leoquin did!"
As Ilasi spoke, she looked at the setting sun. The beginning of the night - which the Guardians and Aelinon referred to as 'first watch' - would soon be upon them. "I don't know what to do tonight..." she thought out loud. On many of Ilasi's jobs, she would be incredibly exhausted, and would just sleep the first chance she got - however, despite this job no doubt requiring work, she wasn't worked nearly as hard as she was elsewhere.

With Chester bringing his head forward, Leoquin gladly began petting him, including a scratch behind the ears. "You know," Leoquin began, "I never really took the captain as the kind to adopt random animals. He seems like a nice man - uh, well, how do I phrase this. It seems like he wants to be a nice man, but doesn't really feel he can based on the circumstances. Maybe he just needs someone to talk to? He doesn't really have the liberty of sharing his thoughts with his peers - considering that none of us on this ship really are his peers."

Dahlia could sense Angora wanted to be alone, so he didn't bother following her. She instead focused on staying as far away from Shade as possible, but as she did, she caught a glimpse of the merman with the fluffy duo. She watched with some jealousy how the cute and adorable doggie was the one being petted while she was there ignored. Petting wasn't a privilege in the wild, at least not in the way human's and humanoids did it, so she was always willing to welcome one of those free massages. Maverick looked too busy with Ilasi to pay attention to her. Since she didn't want to disturb them, she sat in a corner as in a time off, and started to play with a loose floorboard, wanting to stomp it into position.

Quote: A Guy

Maverick's acceptance gave Ilasi a smile - much of it a result of relief, having feared that the experiment would cause Maverick to want to avoid any further interaction with her magic. "Well, we can at least get a better idea of the wildlife around here, surely," she said. "We might even find some treasure like Leoquin did!"
As Ilasi spoke, she looked at the setting sun. The beginning of the night - which the Guardians and Aelinon referred to as 'first watch' - would soon be upon them. "I don't know what to do tonight..." she thought out loud. On many of Ilasi's jobs, she would be incredibly exhausted, and would just sleep the first chance she got - however, despite this job no doubt requiring work, she wasn't worked nearly as hard as she was elsewhere.

"Treasure hunting without hurting anybody? Sounds good to me." Maverick said, prepared for another underwater adventure whenever Ilasi was ready. In his pirate days, somebody was always injured or died when searching for treasure, but collecting stuff from around instead of stealing was a far better idea, and for a traveling merchant like him, any trinket was welcomed. He was worried about Angora venturing alone on that creepy island, but like before, he opted to trust her. And if something went wrong, Shade could always be on the lookout with his long neck. Considering how much he loved her, Maverick knew he could trust the dragolet to keep an eye on her, although hoping he wouldn't be too impulsive in his defense if something does go wrong.

Quote: A Guy

"Godfather Sere is out on a mission," Adjudicator Bier informed Dex. "I am acting on his behalf, and we can sort out any of the details of your contract. As for leads, there have been two main areas the priests have been seen - battlefields ravaged by the war, and major cities. To that end, I would suggest Redwater, though you may find leads elsewhere."

”Well the situation is kind of complicated, but it does not have to effect this mission. I will wait for Sere to be back, or talk with you if it starts to effect the situation we are now in. I guess I will start from there then.” Dex said with really neutral voice, suddendly he rememberd ”Wait a second..... i think i have been healed by one of these. That really does not chance anything, but I can say that what they are doing it atleast works.” Dex said with a much more thoughtfull voice

”Yea it was in that town after fighting Blue. Maverick was with us that time” Sapphire said remembering the situation also

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With Chester bringing his head forward, Leoquin gladly began petting him, including a scratch behind the ears. "You know," Leoquin began, "I never really took the captain as the kind to adopt random animals. He seems like a nice man - uh, well, how do I phrase this. It seems like he wants to be a nice man, but doesn't really feel he can based on the circumstances. Maybe he just needs someone to talk to? He doesn't really have the liberty of sharing his thoughts with his peers - considering that none of us on this ship really are his peers."

Chester through enjoyed the petting, something that Raclaw couldn't do and Latnok wouldn't think of doing-- on the count of not really knowing dogs despite the irony and of having befriended a dog-like fur dragon. "Unfortunately Sere is on another level-- having great responsibilities and having to make decisions that you or I will never have to make. Take me for instance and the hatchling program. I will admit that I first hated him for how his program had manipulated my life-- taking me away from a otherwise normal life and misplacing me somewhere where I had to adapt to the canine speech patterns for basic communication. However with time-- I came to understand his decisions and wanting to better human/dragon relations. He does what he has to, but tries to show compassion where possible. He showed a little bit of that with Chester and I'm grateful for that.," Raclaw said happy to have the company-- and a canine friend like never before. Elsewhere-- Risar prepared the skeleton crew.

Adjudicator Bier raised an eyebrow. "Really, now? So the claims can indeed be corroborated... Interestinf. That makes learning about them all the more important. Please, keep in touch. Let me know if you need anything else." Adjudicator Bier turned back to some paperworm, though he kept an ear out in case the others had something to say.

"Yeah, I've always noticed that people like that can't really express themselves the way they want to," Leoquin said, continuing to pet Chester. "No doubt it gets to them eventually. It seems, at least, that the captain hasn't gone crazy. He seems to know what he's doing."

"Great! We'll have some fun then," Ilasi said. "I should probably be practicing my magic some - Latnok would certainly be asking me if I had. If you care to watch, you can - otherwise, I'll see you tomorrow!" Ilasi waited patiently for Maverick's response.

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"Yeah, I've always noticed that people like that can't really express themselves the way they want to," Leoquin said, continuing to pet Chester. "No doubt it gets to them eventually. It seems, at least, that the captain hasn't gone crazy. He seems to know what he's doing."

"He does-- he has a plan, an end goal, and the desire to achieve that goal. People like him can't afford to show emotions like fear or hesistation, less those feelings spread to others. And that could jeopardize the mission and the goal at large.," Raclaw responded. Chester, meanwhile, was stretching his body to direct Leoquin towards a couple particularly itchy spots.

Angora went outside the ship as soon as the gangplank was lowered, keeping her promise in not venturing far, not especially after night arriving to the island. The place was creepy enough during the day, and despite wanting to take a rest from the ship, she didn't want to be very far from it. As she walked around, she looked at the distance, knowing Latnok was out there, somewhere. She couldn't stop thinking about the last time she saw him.
"Where are you, you idiot? Still hate me even after what you saw? Don't you see the suffering you're causing to your best friend? Why are you so selfish?" Angora monologued in a low voice, knowing the chances of him listening were very slim. Nevertheless, the comment was more for herself, to vent the anger she was feeling for him. Instead of Latnok confronting the problem and trying to understand why she and Raclaw felt the way they were feeling, he chose the coward way and ran away. She didn't know if he was kidnapped or if he willingly went with this stranger, but even if it was the former, he made himself vulnerable to an attack. She was so furious right now...

Quote: A Guy

"Great! We'll have some fun then," Ilasi said. "I should probably be practicing my magic some - Latnok would certainly be asking me if I had. If you care to watch, you can - otherwise, I'll see you tomorrow!" Ilasi waited patiently for Maverick's response.

Even though Maverick was exited with the idea and wanted to start right away, he decided to respectfully give Ilasi time to practice and to proceed with the event only when she was ready.
"Are you going to practice your magic here or in your room? I can watch, just not help you very much. I'm not magical, but..." Maverick began to say, remembering something important.

"This little medallion here is magical though. I learned that not too long ago. I've never seen magic come out of it though, probably because I'm not magical myself. It's still a very pretty decoration... not to mention is the only reminder I have of my mother." Maverick expressed to her as he took his special heirloom out. He always kept the medallion under his shirt so he could hide it and also have it close to his scarred skin, the little treasure always bringing him some comfort in the hardest times.

"Are you ready, Latnok?"
"Yes." Latnok had entered the hollow of the giant root, weapons and equipment in possession - Cernentium stood outside of it. Latnok's armor, though it had been repaired by Cernentium by regeneration on account of its organic nature, would show some slight scars. He had no idea how things would resolve after his memory was wiped - but there were many things that were shared with him, including the entire course of the battle. What was not shared with him, however, was the reactions of his allies to his disappearance - except for Sere being willing to leave Latnok behind without much of a second thought.
"Remember - what do you really want? When the time comes, you will know it. Farewell, my child."
The root closed - and began to be pushed along through peristalsis. The ride took seemingly forever, though it was quite comfortable, the root being somehow highly invigorating. Despite that, however, Latnok eventually fell asleep.

When Latnok woke up, he was in a swamp of some sort... somewhere. The island he was at previously? Yes, this had to be it. It was still night - he wasn't sure if the day had at all passed. Perhaos he fell asleep - but he didn't remember moving here. He rubbed his head, having a massive headache. What had happened to him? He learned Raclaw was actually not the friend he thought the fur dragon was; he learned that Angora was fearful of him and Sere. After that... he wasn't sure.
He had a new weapon - a spear fashioned out of bones of some sort. For some reason, Latnok felt oddly comfortable with the weapon, as if it were his possession, though he didn't recall acquiring it. And... he remembered the sea battle. That was impossible - he hadn't been there! How did he remember it? Maybe he didn't, and his mind was playing tricks on him.
What would he do now? Right now, he would simply lie down and fall asleep - he would figure it all out in the morning, when his head wasn't aching. His telepathic presence right now would nit be blocked - rather, it would be highly subdued, much like trying to hear someone mumbling in their sleep from across the room.

Angora remained pacing around the port, looking at the creepy island ocasionally. The rude mayor was probably finally going to be happy about the sea dragon not tormenting their seas any longer, though she couldn't help but wonder what happened to the people that disappeared. We're they sunk along with their ships? We're they eaten? Or perhaps the one contacting her was responsible for the disappearances and the poor beast had been the one being blamed. She didn't know, nor did it matter to her. Even though she hoped Latnok was found, she didn't care very much if the search was a success. She felt bad for Raclaw for feeling that way, but how could he continue being friends with him if he caused him fear too? If Latnok was found, her only hope was for Raclaw to finally see him reason, if not, Angora believed the fur dragon would heal eventually. He was a good and gentle being, and he had Chester to help him. With his nature, he could befriend practically anybody.

As Leoquin and Raclaw briefly talked and the sky got darker-- the fur dragon looked out onto the island and wondered what Latnok would be thinking right now. He had ran away, had gone with another individual, and had days to to focus on what had to be his deepest darkest thought. 'Oh Damon-- why did you have to do it?,' he thought once again already knowing the answer. As he reflected upon many things, decided to scan for Latnok once more. 'Please be out there Latnok.,' he thought as he opened his senses and-- 'Is that..? I can barely sense you, but is that...?,' he thought as he expanded his senses. At first it was only a vague feeling, than a distant-but-familiar presence, and then he picked up on what had to be Latnok. His eyes turned white as he focused and he soon picked up on what seemed like seemed to be the presence of his beloved Guardian, albeit subdued. "Latnok-- that really is you and I can almost follow your signature.," he thought out loud in common.

"Latnok... you found him?!," Chester barked looking up at the fur dragon. "I-- I did I think.," he responded in kind before looking around at who was currently on deck. At that very moment... he could track the Guardian. And if Latnok was in some kind of trouble, there might not be time to waste. He looked around for signs of Sere or pending no Sere-- any of the key crew members such as Leoquin. He had to find Latnok, save him if necessary, and reconcile before it was too late. As he looked, he had a very determined look and his eyes remained white-- not wanting to lose the one sign of Latnok. Risar was on duty, but helping with a particularly heavy repair just out of sight.